The potential for severe complications caused by persistent high analyte levels and analyte fluctuations has provided the impetus to develop data monitoring and management systems. In this regard, attempts have been made to detect and monitor certain analyte levels, e.g., glucose, with the use of analyte monitoring systems designed to continuously or semi-continuously monitor analyte data from a subject. The analyte monitoring systems often include a sensor configured to detect analyte levels and generate signals corresponding to the detected analyte signals. In some analyte monitoring systems, the sensor is inserted in the body of the subject. Typically, such sensors have a sensor life of about a week. Thus, the sensor must be replaced periodically for continuous analyte detection and monitoring.
Occasionally, data monitoring systems undergo a fault condition, such as for example a power loss, power shut-down, Watchdog reset, or various other system or component failures. During these fault conditions, the system often loses data and time so there is no way for the system to recognize the amount of time elapsed during the fault condition. Thus, after fault conditions, it was necessary for the user to replace the sensor even if the fault condition occurred on day 2 of a 5-day or a 7-day sensor. In addition to the financial costs of replacing a sensor that had remaining life expectancy, the new sensor must be calibrated, requiring multiple finger sticks of the user and time. In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus for determining the elapsed sensor life and/or remaining sensor life subsequent to a fault condition in a medical communication system, so that the same sensor can be used after the fault condition.